


I'm Asking You To Choose Me

by goldenkc



Category: Gossip Girl
Genre: Alternate Ending, F/M, nate and blair are best friends fight me, non-judging breakfast club dynamics, serena and chuck are the stepsiblings that love each other a lot, serenate - Freeform, slightly canon divergent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-15
Updated: 2018-04-15
Packaged: 2019-04-22 23:55:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,713
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14319870
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/goldenkc/pseuds/goldenkc
Summary: today's the day serena van der woodsen marries dan humphrey, but there's something telling her not to. that something is nate archibald.//aka the ending we were robbed of





	I'm Asking You To Choose Me

**Author's Note:**

> i've never written anything for gossip girl, but these two are soulmates and we were so cheated out of their happy ending, so have a fic

It’s Serena van der Woodsen’s wedding day. She’s just sent down her mother to begin the ceremony shortly. She’s in her white and gold custom dress, standing in front of the mirror, staring at her clothes and the flowers in her hand, waiting to go down to marry her fiancé any moment.

This should be the happiest day of her life. But she can’t help feeling something’s not right.

The doors open and she’s expecting her mother to tell her to come down now. Then a deep voice says breathlessly, “Wow.”

Serena turns to see Nate standing in the doorway. She chuckles, looking down at her dress again. “Thanks,” she smiles, but Nate can tell something’s off, too. “What are you doing up here? The music is going to start any minute.”

He's here, no turning back now. “Don't marry him.”

Serena is stunned for a moment. She lets out a light laugh in nervousness.  “Uh… _what?_ ”

“Dan,” he clarifies needlessly. “Don't marry him.”

She licks her lips, sitting down on the couch before her knees give out. “I don't understand.”

He sighs, sitting beside her. “I know I have no right--”

“Damn right you don't,” she snaps. “How dare you? Nate, this is my wedding day.”

“It shouldn't be. Not to him,” he tries.

“Oh, yeah, then to who? You?” she asks, almost angry that he’s doing this. She’s confused enough as it is, she doesn’t need this now. “You gave up that chance years ago,” she dismisses him.

“I was stupid.”

“It's a little late.” Serena stands, fixing her dress as she walks toward the door. Then Nate’s hand grabs onto her wrist.

“I realize that. And I'm sorry,” he says with sincerity in his voice. “But Serena, he doesn't deserve you. I know I sure as hell don't, but _Dan Humphrey?_ He's not worth you.”

She huffs, throwing her arms up in exasperation. “What do you expect me to do with this?”

“Leave him,” Nate replies as though it’s the simplest thing in the world.

“Just abandon my fiancé at the altar? Leave my family, our friends, wondering what happened? Do you know how humiliating that will be?” she asks incredulously. “Everyone will find out. And I can't do that to him. He's a good person, Nate.”

“Forget about everyone else for one minute. You are one of the most selfless people I know, and you spend too much time thinking about other people's feelings and sacrificing your own happiness for them,” he says with too much truth in his words for Serena’s liking. “What do _you_ want to do?”

“I want to marry Dan.”

“No, you don't.”

“Says who?”

“The waiver in your voice and the hesitation in your answer.” She scoffs at how well he has her figured out. “I know you, Serena. You don't want to marry him.”

She looks down, letting her arms fall in defeat. “What I am supposed to do?”

Nate lifts Serena’s chin with his thumb, taking her hands in his. “Runaway with me.”

“Where?” she asks, seriously considering this.

“I don't know, Canada,” he suggests on a whim. “Somewhere no one knows us. Somewhere we can be ourselves without the Upper East Side breathing down our necks.”

“Canada?” she asks with a gleam in her eyes, slowly warming up to the idea.

“Just for a little while. You've always wanted to take a trip there, but Dan's scared of skiing. Let's go,” he practically begs.

She wants to say yes, _god_ , does she ever want to say yes. But she made a commitment to someone else. “I can't,” she says solemnly, shaking her head.

Nate shifts on his feet, holding her hands tighter. “Tell me you love him.”

“I love him,” she says instantly.

“Tell me you're _in love_ with him.”

“I…” She stops. She knows she’s not.

“You deserve the world, Serena. You deserve someone who loves you unconditionally--not because of your status or your money or the publicity on Page Six. You deserve someone who loves you for your heart, the way it bleeds for your family. Someone who loves your determination, your open-mind, your love for food, your fire in your work, even your terrible taste in music,” he lists off, earning a half smile from her. He continues quieter, “Someone who is _truly_ in love with you.”

“Are you that person?” she asks, barely a whisper.

“I have been since I was fifteen.”

Serena sighs, shutting her eyes and resting her hands on his shoulders. “We tried before and it didn't work, Nate, what if I run out on a lifetime of happiness with Dan--”

“Lifetime?” he asks like it’s a wild notion. She looks him in the eye with a bit of confusion. “You'll get your honeymoon period, but it'll sink in. You're not right for each other. You never have been. How many times does the relationship have to break and mend before you realize it's not right? Something will always be--”

“Missing,” she finishes for him. She realizes now what was wrong this whole day. It was the wrong groom.

“I know you picked him first, but I'm asking you to pick me now,” he says, and she feels guilty. “If you want to go, say the word, we can leave. But if you think you have what you want with him, I'll let you go and never bring this up again,” he promises.

Serena takes a deep breath. “I want to go with you. I want happy and comfortable and never walking on eggshells or wondering if he loves me back. I want a future. I want a life,” she says quickly, worried she’s running out of time before someone comes looking for her. “I want everything… with _you_ , Nate Archibald.”

“Then it's yours,” he says, drawing her in for a kiss.

It’s a heavenly feeling--kissing the one you love. And this was something Nate has missed for a long time. Though the moment is cut short.

Blair’s singing voice is heard as the double doors open. “Serena, _it's tiiiime_ \--oh, thank god,” she exclaims upon seeing her two best friends attached at the lips.

Serena and Nate face Blair, with Chuck not far behind, looking like they’ve been caught.

“Well,” Chuck’s suave voice says from behind Blair’s left shoulder. “Isn’t this is a fun surprise.”

Blair claps her hands in a rushing motion. “Go out the back exit,” she orders. “I'll make sure no one knows until you're long gone.”

Serena and Nate look at each other, then at their friends in the doorway.

“Wait, you’re not mad?” Serena asks her wedding planner/best friend.

“Mad? Sweetie, no! I just want you to be happy.”

Serena steps away from Nate with a grin, walking over to Blair with her arms open.

“Thank you, B,” she squeals happily.

“Of course, S,” she replies after pulling back from the hug and fixing Serena’s hair absently. “You deserve to marry the love of your life, and I was kind of hoping you'd realize that it wasn't Dan _before_ your wedding date, but hey, better late than never,” Blair jokes with a roll of her eyes.

Chuck gives Nate a hand shake, nodding with that famous Chuck Bass smirk. “Didn't know you had it in you, Nathaniel.”

Nate chuckles, pulling him forward to pat him on the back. “Thanks, buddy.”

Then Nate walks over to Blair while Serena hugs her step-brother.

“I always knew it was her,” Blair says. “Glad you finally came to your senses, Archibald.”

Nate shakes his head and a smile on his face, so thankful for this girl. “I love you, Blair.”

“I love you, too, Nate,” she says, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. “Now go make my best friend happy because if you break her heart again, I will break multiple bones,” she finishes with a kiss on his cheek and an innocent smile.

“Got it,” he responds, knowing she means it.

Chuck pushes away a lock of blonde hair from Serena’s face with a proud smile. “Congrats, sis,” he says endearingly.

She kisses his cheek quickly, patting his hands holding hers. “Thanks, Chuck.”

He clears his throat, looking between the two soon-to-be runaways. “Now go. I’ve texted Arthur; he will take you to the airport.” Nate nods, grabbing Serena’s coat. “Be happy,” Chuck says, directed at the girl he’s loved like a sister for years.

She gives him one more smile, taking Nate’s hand. Chuck and Blair step next to each other, waving the new couple off as they walk out the back door.

“You owe me twenty dollars,” Blair says as she rests her head on her husband’s shoulder. “Told you he’d stop the wedding.”

“My fault for betting my sister would do it herself,” Chuck says with a soft chuckle, kissing the top of Blair head.

Outside, Serena and Nate run as quick as her heels will take them until they reach the end of the alleyway. They stop for a moment, looking out to the crowded sidewalk. There are no paparazzi, but everyone knows Serena van der Woodsen is to be married today, and if anyone sees her with a man who is _not_ her betrothed, there are sure to be cameras that follow.

“For the record,” Serena begins, taking advantage of this moment. “All those years ago during the big ‘Dan or Nate’ decision after Paris…” Nate turns to her as she holds his full attention. She takes a deep breath, then whispers, “I chose you.”

He’s taken aback, kicking himself for not seizing the opportunity years ago. He gives her a quick kiss before he spots Chuck’s limo pulling up.

They look both ways once more, deciding to just go for it. They speed-walk past pedestrians--a few of whom begin whispering at the sight of the pair. They get into the back of the limo with a sigh, expecting that the paparazzi will be there any second.

“Ready?” Nate asks.

Serena nods, smiling back with the smile he’s missed seeing--a truly happy one. Nate leans forward and kisses her with the kind of passion that has her soaring. The car is put into drive, and the two are off--set to start their new lives together, because this time it’s forever.

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading! if you liked it, hit that kudos button :)


End file.
